Lost and Forgotten

[Phoenix]

Corvo could hear her sniffles and the sounds of her quiet crying reached his ears. He gripped her more tightly in his arms, wanting her to have a safe and warm space in him. He always wanted to be her bulwark the way that she was his pillar; a person that she could always go to for love, protection, acceptance, and comfort.

He couldn't help but smile at her words. You know, I had no idea. If you hadn't said or done something... he chuckled quietly, thinking about the fact that they never would have gotten anywhere if it had been up to him to make the first move. I hope you didn't get more than you bargained for, he said, gently placing a kiss against her neck. I'm so glad you did what you did.

Not a day goes by that I don't praise myself for proposing to you that day, he managed to actually make a joke and chuckle quietly. Her mention of Ciri only served to warm his heart. The day I married you, my life changed forever in the most extraordinary way. You and Ciri are my heart and soul, and your world - or what part I play in it - will never come to an end, he pledged quietly to her.

A slight smile crept at the corners of his mouth as he thought back to that day. I also seem to recall something about you and sharks, he started to laugh quietly. A little bump with the Force, and you were all up in arms, squealing and screaming, he teased.

 

[Sreeya]

For the first time in a while, Shae felt a measure of true happiness. She thought back to the day on the beach, and how terrified she had been. He was still largely Venator at the time, and she had just begun to see more of Corvo. She thought for sure he would abandon her and become too paranoid to be involved. Sith were afraid of weaknesses, and a child would have been that to him. Instead, he welcomed her with open arms and committed his life to her and their child.

She felt his kiss against her neck, the remark about the shark incident drawing a small laugh, “Well I got you back by toppling you fully clothed into the water,” She finally turned around to face him, noting the sadness still in his eyes despite the faint smile, “You are my everything, Corvo..” She sighed, “I just..wonder if we were ever meant to come this far…two very flawed people that have done so much wrong. Do we deserve any of this?”

Shae finally slipped off the bed, rising up to stand. She felt the chill of the room brush her skin, goosebumps lining her body. She walked over to photo she had smashed, though the picture physically remained. Shae looked at it longingly, “I think love is only reserved for the true good people in the galaxy. People like Ciri.....people like those we've killed without a second thought."

 

[Phoenix]

Perhaps more than any day, that day on the beach was when he'd begun to slip away from being Venator, choosing a wife and daughter over the power and influence he'd carried for years. And he didn't regret it at all. He would have chosen to do that again and again.

He smiled as she mentioned knocking him in the water. Those days, they had been truly happy, unfazed by the world around. Then why do you want to leave me,
he wanted to ask in the face of her statement, but he didn't want to chase her away. Shae, the idea that anyone is flawless is a myth, he replied, but even as he said the words, he knew that wasn't what she meant. The two of them were exceptional in the atrocities they had done. I know I don't... I've never deserved you, he said soberly. He'd been telling her that for years and there was truth in it.

He watched her slip out of the bed, wandering over to the photo she had smashed just before she left. He kept it here, but he was never the decorator, so getting a new frame for it had long ago slipped his mind. It struck him as he listened to her that no matter what side each was on, there was one thing they both wanted: safety, innocence, and happiness for their daughter. How do we keep her innocent, Shae? he asked, once more lost at how to raise a daughter alone. There's so much darkness in us and danger in the galaxy outside. I don't want her to fall to the darkness...

 

[Sreeya]

“Perhaps you’re right..” Shae muttered as she looked at the image, “Perhaps the only way to do that is for us to remain far away from her life,” She slowly turned to look at him again, grabbing her clothing and beginning to put them back on. It was clear that she had no intention of staying here, and that she would return to the Sith. Despite their time together, the nagging feeling inside her didn’t go away, and she already told herself she wouldn’t return to the life of resentment again.

“You must also remember…Ciri is the best of us both. That means she’s more powerful than us, and her resolve will be greater than ours ever were,” Shae grasped his hands in hers, “Ciri will be fine, Corvo, no matter how things end. She will have her own battles and face her own demons, and I know she’ll overcome them all. Do you remember when I was first pregnant with her and we couldn’t sense any dark nor light in her? I had darkness in me then and still she wasn’t consumed by it. Not a single trace of it could touch her. I have faith she will overcome anything that stands in her way.”

After she was dressed, Shae took Corvo’s face in her hands, leaning in to kiss him once more, “I love you, Corvo Vis. No matter how far I fall, that fact will never change.”

 

[Phoenix]

He watched her dress and slipped his own pants on as well, standing and wandering toward her. It felt as though a weight sat on his chest as she said they shouldn't be around Ciri. He'd suggested that once, years earlier, and the idea of hearing it again now was, of course, not easy. But he knew that perhaps she was right. The more time went on, the more he feared the way he seemed to destroy his family. He couldn't bear to see Ciri destroyed by the two of them.

Still, there was some solace to be found in Shae's words as well. Ciri was stronger than either of them. She was the best of both her parents in a way he couldn't have expected. She came over and grasped his hands in hers. He looked down, a sad smile on his face. How did we create something so amazing? he asked quietly, thinking about how strong their daughter already was at eight years old.

He relished the feeling of her hands wrapped around his face, looking into her eyes. He couldn't help himself any longer, throwing his arms around her and pulling her to himself. He knew he would miss her in a way that would hurt him deeply. He'd learned to be one half of a whole, and felt wholly incomplete when she wasn't near. I love you so much, Shae, he whispered quietly against her hair, finally pulling back after a long moment.

He held onto her left hand, pulling her gently back toward the dresser and pulling the top drawer open. I know you're going to leave, he said, pain in his voice, But I still love you, no matter what you do. You are always my wife, unconditionally, he said, pulling her wedding ring and slipping it on her finger before she could object. Our love doesn't end here, he said, closing her hand into a fist with the ring on it. Please... don't throw us away completely, he asked quietly, leaning in to kiss her gingerly.